1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to index cards, specifically to a device, which allows the user to view, hold, and store index cards in a very assessable manner with the outer card in full view. The present invention can be attached by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive to any object or surface for convenient access.
2. Description of Prior Art
Index card storage containers have been used for many years. Numerous index card storage boxes or containers exist for holding larger quantities of cards. Some smaller portable storage containers exist as described below. Most of these containers hold the index cards in a manner which does not allow the user to see what is on the outer card, and the containers are mostly a type of complete enclosure which does not allow the user to write on or read from the outer card while in the container.
Several types of holding devices which can store index cards have previously been proposed—for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,188 (2000), U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,689 (2001), U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,618 (1999), U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,522 (1998), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,878 (2001). All of these patents provide very useful capabilities for holding and storing index cards, but none of these or any others provide the capabilities of the present invention which allows index cards to be stored and retrieved with the top card in full view from an unlimited number of convenient locations to which the present invention can be attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,188 (2000) describes an organizer notebook for holding index cards which are simply inserted into a flap on the notebook. This devise also includes a cardholder which is retained in the notebook and is similar to a Rolodex. U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,689 (2001) describes a small carrier designed with a flap to retain small objects, such as index cards. U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,618 (1999) describes another type of pocket carrier for index cards which has a pivoting cover that snaps closed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,522 (1998) describes a device which is used as a card holder with integral divider. U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,878 B1 (2001) describes a device which when attached to a bulletin board can be used as a card holder. U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,689 (2001) is the only device mentioned above which can be attached to the surface of another article, but the outer card is not in view of the user nor can the outer card be written on while in the device.
No existing prior art provides the user with the number of possible uses for index cards as does the present invention. The present invention allows the user immediate access to index cards in numerous convenient locations when the device is attached to an object or surface at that location. The present invention secures and holds these cards with full view of the top card providing more advantages than a simple slot type holder which does not grip the cards in place. The present invention allows the user to write on the top card while this card remains in the devise. The present invention also allows the user much greater accessibility while removing or replacing cards into the device, since there is no flap or cover.